What is the difference between a logline and a premise

I took some premises from The Anatomy Of Story together with their loglines:. Remember, what you choose to write about is far more important than any decision you make about how to write it. That's why it's important to understand what is a premise and what is a logline, how to write them and what is the difference. Both of them represent your story stated in one sentence. They must be concise and brief. If they don't meet these requirements, you don't understand your story clear enough.

They must be catchy and hook the audience and motivate them to see the film. They must describe the central conflict of your story and answer the question of what is your script about. Logline : The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son. Premise : The youngest son of a Mafia family takes revenge on the men who shot his father and becomes the new Godfather.

It articulates for the writer and others the truth for which the screenplay offers evidence. By way of example, consider the film, Viva Zapata , written for the screen by John Steinbeck, from a novel uncredited by Edgecumb Pinchon. Premises deal with universals, like love, courage, greed, freedom, justice, death, duty, play, the nature of our responsibilities to ourselves and to others… A premise is usually wider than a simple statement of a theme e. Every cohesive and emotionally logical dramatic screen story is capable of articulation in a well-formulated premise of one sentence.

When it comes to writing energetic, vital screenplays, there is no idea or situation that is potent and meaningful enough on its own to carry you from beginning to middle to end unless it can be expressed in terms of a clear-cut premise. The premise of Armageddon is that an asteroid is headed towards Earth, and a team of misfits has to stop it. Rather, let it be a touchstone that focuses your writing for this particular story.

Work to expose it through scenes with characters in conflict. Lastly, do you always know the answer to this question when you start writing? Not necessarily.